The victim was going to meet his mother at her place of work, and they were talking to each other on FaceTime as he went, officials said in court documents. — Unsplash
More than two years after police say a man was shot to death during a FaceTime call with his mother, Missouri officials say they’ve identified his killer – and he’s at large.
Police are searching for Jonathon Xavier Jones, 19, who’s accused of gunning a man down on the northwest side of St. Louison March 2, 2022, according to recently filed court documents. A warrant for Jones’ arrest on a slew of charges, including murder, was issued Tuesday, July 9, records show.
The victim was going to meet his mother at her place of work, and they were talking to each other on FaceTime as he went, officials said in court documents.
Suddenly, his mother heard gunshots and saw her son fall to the ground, she told investigators. All she could see was his face as he laid there, dead or dying, according to documents. He had been shot multiple times, responding officers said, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
A witness told investigators they saw a white Dodge Journey drive close to the victim before lowering both driver’s side windows and opening fire, documents read.
Surveillance cameras captured the SUV in different locations before and after the shooting, officials said.
In one video, the Dodge is seen “circling” near the victim’s home before he gets into a Lyft. Two other videos captured the same person, later identified as Jones, getting into the SUV 30 minutes prior to the shooting, and getting out of it after the shooting, documents said.
Though Jones would have been a teenager at the time, officials said violence was not new to him. Shortly before the fatal shooting, officials say Jones escaped from a juvenile detention facility where he was being held for a different alleged homicide.
During investigation, police found the Dodge, and fingerprints inside of it belonging to Jones. There were several firearms at his home, one of which was a ballistic match to the shooting, according to documents.
Witnesses who were in the Dodge at the time of the killing also told police Jones drove the vehicle and shot at the victim.
Jones is facing four charges, including murder, plus two counts of armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon, documents show.
“I believe the Defendant is a danger to the community and will not appear voluntarily on a summons,” officials said.
Officials did not say what may have motivated the killing. – The Charlotte Observer/Tribune News Service
